Raiders sign fifth-round draft pick, punter Johnny Townsend

The Oakland Raiders signed another one of their draft picks on Monday, inking punter Johnny Townsend.

Townsend was selected 173rd overall by the Silver & Black in last month’s draft out of the University of Florida. Townsend played in 44 games over his four-year collegiate career, totaling 240 punts for an average of 46.2 yards and 90 punts inside the opponents’ 20-yard line. He finished as the school’s all-time leading punter in yards and punts, and ranks first in SEC history in career punting average.

Last year he was named a consensus second-team All-American after appearing in 11 games and leading the nation for the second straight year with 3,043 yards on 64 punts (47.5 yards per punt).

The Raiders released punter Colby Wadman last week. Townsend joins fellow rookies LB Azeem Victor and DL P.J. Hall to already put pen to paper, though six of their draft picks remain unsigned.